Sara Jordan Powell

Sara Jordan Powell was born on October 6, 1938, in Houston, Texas, the daughter of a minister and pastor at the Turner Memorial Church of God in Christ, and his wife, who was a homemaker.[1][2] She was born the third of twelve children in her family.[1][2] Powell started singing at the age of two years.[1][2] She is a Texas Southern University graduate with a Bachelor's degree in English while minoring in drama and history.[1][2] After graduation from Texas Southern University, she headed out to Chicago, Illinois to live with her sister, and she apprenticed under, Thomas A. Dorsey, while she was working for him during her tenure in Chicago.[1][2] She was found by the Sallie Martin Singers while in Chicago with Dorsey, and she joined the group, after auditioning successfully.[1][2] After the Sallie Martin Singers, she was a part of the Voices of Melody, headed by Dr. Charles Clency. Soon thereafter her father became ill and died, and she and her husband departed for Houston to handle the church's affairs.[1][2] While she was back in Houston, Powell became a teacher at a school, where she was encouraged to sing during a commencement ceremony, and after that she was a highly sought after local artist.[1][2] Around 1971, Rev. James Cleveland eavesdropped on one of her singing engagements in Los Angeles, California, and at his request, she met with him the next day.[1][2] He asked her about recording, but Powell had never given it much thought.[1][2] He encouraged her, and she quickly found success in 1972 with the songs, "Touch Somebody's Life" and "When Jesus Comes," which achieved significant radio airtime, and were on her debut album "Touch Somebody's Life" that came out in 1975 on the Savoy label.[1][2] She attended Southwest Theological Seminary, and obtained her master's degree from University of St. Thomas, after achieving musical success.[1][2] Powell had the opportunity to perform "Amazing Grace" for President Jimmy Carter at the White House, while they were honoring the Black Music Association, with the likes of Chuck Berry, Billy Eckstine, Evelyn "Champagne" King, and Andraé Crouch on June 7, 1979.[1][2][3] She was an academic advisor at Oral Roberts University after she and her husband relocated there for her husband to pursue his Juris Doctor degree.[1][2] Powell was the Church of God in Christ's Fine Arts Executive Director for ten years.[1][2] She was asked to serve on the Year of the Bible Committee by President Ronald Reagan.[1][2] Powell had the opportunity to minister to President Bill Clinton in Memphis, Tennessee, along with Dr. Bernard Johnson, at the requested of Bishop Lewis Henry Ford.[1][2][4]

Her music recording career began in 1972, with the release of "Touch Somebody's Life" and "When Jesus Comes," which got significant radio airtime.[1][2] Those songs would be on her first album, "Touch Somebody's Life," produced by Rev. James Cleveland, and released by Savoy Records in 1975.[5] She would release four more albums on the label, 1980's "I Must Tell Jesus," 1990's "Sara Jordan Powell" and "When Jesus Comes," and 1995's "The Soul of Sara Jordan Powell."[5] Later that same year, she released the album "Live in Houston" with Compendia Music Group.[5] She was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2003.[2]

She resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[1]

• 1975 – "Touch Somebody's Life" (Savoy)
• 1980 – "I Must Tell Jesus" (Savoy)
• 1990 – "Sara Jordan Powell" (Savoy)
• 1990 – "When Jesus Comes to Stay"
• 1995 – "The Soul of Sara Jordan Powell" (Savoy)
• 1995 – "Live in Houston" (Compendia)

• Cross Rhythms artist profile